Occupational Therapy Aides Salary
Occupational Therapy Aides in New Jersey make a median of $44,470 a year, or about $21.38 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $44,765 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 67.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of New Jersey. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $44K get you in New Jersey?
About occupational therapy aides
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What this looks like in New Jersey
New Jersey sits well above the national pay line for occupational therapy aides, local pay runs about 14% higher than the U.S. median of $39K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 67.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level occupational therapy aides (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $44K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $7K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track occupational therapy aides salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a occupational therapy aide afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $44K, rent takes 67.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for occupational therapy aides in New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new occupational therapy aides typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,339/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 88% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is occupational therapy aide a high-paying job in New Jersey?
Local pay is 14% above the national median — $44K here vs. $39K nationally.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for occupational therapy aides?
New Jersey pays $44K median vs. the U.S. average of $39K — that’s +14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do occupational therapy aides make in New Jersey?
The median is $44,470 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,980, and experienced occupational therapy aides can clear $46,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $44K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,067/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 67.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a occupational therapy aides salary go in New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median occupational therapy aides salary is worth about $44,765 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do occupational therapy aides get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.